Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-28
BISHOP KAHN
CONTINUES HIS SERIES OF LBNTEN Lee
TURES AT THE CATHEDRAL.
He Brings Forward q Host Of Arguments in Favor Of
the Supremacy Of the Church TO
Which he Belongs.

Bishop Kahn delivered the fifth lecture
of his Lenten course, last evening, to a
very large congregation. This lecture was
devoted 10 a defense of the claim which
the Catholic Church makes, to be the
Church instituted by Christ for theldoubie
purpose of teaching the doctrines and ap-
plying the graces of the Redemption. de
had spoken on the previous Sunday OF GER
tain attributes which the Holy Scriptures
oiyeto Christ's Church. The chief charac-
teristics of that Church he had sum-
med up in the words OF the early
Councils O fNiee and Constantinople, which
describe the Church rs one, holy, Cdthoi'c
and APOSTOLIC. These characteristics, the
Bishop maintained, were tound IN the 10
man Catholic Church alone. This Church,
ne said. is one in faith, n in the means
of grace, and one in government. All her
millions of children join in the profession
of the same doctrines. These doctrines
are u~nchangeably the same. Every de-
cisiOu of the Church, bearing on the
revealed truth, Is but a declaration
that the truth thus clearly
defined. is contained in he original de
nosit of faith committed to the custody OF
the Church Of Christ.
The great and essential act Of Catholic
worship is the sacrifice Of. the Body and
/ Blood of Christ, and the sacrifice Is offered
everywhere in the Christian world, and IN
its Ublation, all Catholics may intelhgently
Join, though strangers to the language EN-
ployed We also illustrated the sameness
of the Catholic Sacramento system, by
| which the graces of Redemption are every
where applied. In government, he showed
the unity of his Church, all the members
| of which acknowledge spiritual supremacy
/ of the Pope, Us the successor OF ~. refer
and the Vicar of Christ. All the features
| of unity, he claimed, were to be iound IN
no other Christian organization.
The Holiness of the Church Is shown
not only in the exemplary lives OF so many
OF its members, but also in the sanctliy-
inc influence of her doctrines and the
efficacy of her sacramentS. lie clteu III
stances in which the unalterable teachings
of the Church teuied to sanctiicatlon oil
the individual rs well rs of society, as Is
the case with her doctrine regarding mar
rage. The holiness of the Church Is also
shown in the ministerial powers which
the Catholic Church claims to have re-
ceiyed from Christ, of clearing away sin
and imparting the grace OF God to the
soul.
He next explained the CathOlicity of the
Church maintaining that, not only had
| the Catholic Church converted to the faith
| all nations that had fOrSaken paganlsm lOr
| Christianity, but that she was to-day the
only universal Church, or Church OF all
nations. lie gave an interesting synopsis
of the present status Of the Church through
out Asia and Africa. Being the only
Church which has carried out the saviour
| Injunction of converting the nations, she
alone could lay claim 10 the promised
presence of Christ during all the ages
which have passed; and II Christ
is with her in the discharge Of her teach
ing office, she has Il divine guarantee oil
teaching all revealed truth unmlXed with
error. apostolic he defined rs that feature
of the Church which marked her legitimate
descent from the APOSTLES, from whom must
come her doctrines, her orders and her
mission. The practical test of her apostle
licity ever recognized in the Church from
the earliest days is communion with the
chief Of the apostles in the person OF his
successor, the Bishop of Rome.
The Bishop devoted the conclusion OF
| his lecture to q hurried consideration oil
other proofs in favor of the Church. lie
dwelt on the intense earneStness with
which the Catholic Church has ever assert
ed her high and holy mission; the feeling
consciousness with she had ever discharged
her sacred functions as the earthly reprcs-
entatiye OF our Blessed Redeemer. Tie
pointed out the several duties imposed by
the Church, and her success nOtwlthstand-
ing the restrictions which she
placed ION all her members.
He described in few words her many
brilliant victories over the combined pow
eIs of earth and hell. He alluded to the
doctrines and practices which were alleged
in the sixteenth century to be innovations,
and as such the ground on which revolt
from the Church was sought tn be luStlhed;
but which were now once more coming
into recognition by the children OF the
Reformation. Finally he argued that the
| Protestant theory of the night of private
Interpretation not only rendered faith im-
possible, but even subverted the iOunda-
ton OF natural religion.
Ills next and last lecture will he 4 fur
ther arraignmentO of the Protestant system,
especially i'm reference to the redemption.